Sounds like a good plan! Love my 3.73s, even w/o overdrive I wouldn't trade them.

 

I don't think I've ever headr a complaint about 3.73s haha. I'm hoping my used posi will work well. I went through everything and it looks good. I probably should just get a rebuild kit for it.

 

Nagle the LSA on your cam is too tight for a 383 should be 114 degress 108 is better for a smaller engine like a 305

 

I agree and disagree. While it would probably run with more power and carry it higher throught the rpms, i prefer the lower end torque a tighter LSA has to offer. This is a street car that I also autocross, so i want more of a lower powerband. So yes, i do believe that i would see more performance with a wider LSA, but i think think this cam with really make this engine go.

 

383 is going to have lots of low end grunt anyhow. I think however you would like the hp more particularly with your gears.

 

Well nothing i can do about it now anyways. I think it'll run very well either way.

 

Sounds like I'm getting a pair of Mr Gasket longtubes for basically free. I bought the original 350 for $75 and only reused the block and the oil pump bolt. THis guy wants to trade his long tubes for everything else (heads, intake, cam, etc.). So I'd say just the roller block alone was worth $75, and now getting longtubes from that same $75 is definitely worth it.

I plan on switching to hooker long tubes next year when I can afford it, but this should do for now. Pushrods were shipped to me today. I probably wont get a chance to work on the engine for another 2 weeks though.

 

Well, engine is now ready to go in the car. Still gotta throw on the RMS and oil pan but that'll be after we get it off the stand. Probably another month to get all the t5 conversion parts, then i can get this thing broken in for next year.

 

Finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. T5 conversion kit to be ordered on friday and the swap starts next weekend. Besides smaller things like fuel line and header wrap, I think I have everything that I need. Hoping to get at least 1k miles on this thing before winter. I want to make sure all the bugs are worked out for a dyno session next year and some track time. I'll keep this updated.

 

Well, engine has been in for almost a month now. Got her running on the 24th of october. My t5 is leaking from the VSS, so i have only been able to drive it about 500 miles. Feels strong, timing is set for 15* base, 38* total and mid 50's with the vacuum advance. One big set back we had was fitment of the longtubes. Nothing we could do would make them fit, so unfortunately stock manifolds are on until I have more $$$$ (should have full exhaust ready for race season).

Only problem we've had so far is with the cooling system. Everytime I pull into the parking lot at work (45 miute drive), it starts leaking. It's happened all 4 days i took it too work but it hasn't made a single drip ANYWHERE else. First leak was from the petcock which was blown apart. Now it seems like its boiling out through the overflow tank? I'll have to check the cooling system pressure,this is a new radiator, hoses, thermostat and water pump.

Next year the plan is too finish up the drivetrain with all rebuilt/new parts. Install my lowering springs, subframe connectors, lower control arms (founders) and relocation brackets, adjustable panhard bar, and the torque arm that mounts to my subframe connectors.

Looking back on this I think I matched the parts up pretty well. Could've went a little bigger (flow wise or port size) with some AFR heads and 1.6 rockers to put me at .565/.570 lift, BUT I think the way this cam and heads are matched gives me the low end power that I really wanted but EASILY spins up to 6k while keeping plenty of power and the extra lift of the 1.6 rockers would have been poinless, consideing these trickflows only flow 1cfm more between .500 and .600.

To anyone reading this that is considering do something similar, I would say go for it. You'll run into many problems but t's worth the headache. I WILL be doing this again sometime in the future, whether is upgrading this 383, or building something completely different, I will almost certainly be doing this again.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

That timing seems way high. The better the head the less timing needed. If its not pinging good for you, but more than 36 deg is supprising that it doesn't. Also vacuum advance has no affect on overall timing. It is only for getting the advance in earlier at the bottom before the mechanical (springs) come in. 38* is pretty aggressive. What is your compression and what octane you running? Did you decide on 38* based on the dyno?

Glad everything is coming together well.

 

Im 10:1 compression on 93 octane gas. The timing was not set on a dyno yet, so I'm sure it's not optimal but the car doesn't ping at any rpm. This will be tuned on the dyno once the exhaust is done. I have an "advance stop' kit where I can make the timing advance stop a little earlier, maybe I can give that a shot. I wanted it to be around 36* but I have seen people running 38* before. The advance is also "all in" at around 3200 rpm, Ive heard your timing should be "all in" between 2800-3000 rpm. So even though I have a little more advance, it's not coming in too early to cause problems. I think I'll make a seperate thread about the timing too see what other think too.

So you think maybe I should drop a couple degrees on the timing?

 

Ok, so I wouldn't worry about those stops because your base timing is plenty high as well, esp when you have vacuum advance on your dist. Your car will likely run just fine down to 8 deg base timing. Here is what a typical basic timing tune consists of.

I would start with overall timing around 32* do a pull on the dyno, 34* pull, 36* pull, 38* pull, etc. until the engine breaks up at the top end. (for me this was 36-37* you could here it pop/miss) When this happens drop back to the previous setting. Thats your max power, done. Bolt it down and don't touch it.

Once this is done it comes down to tuning the part throttle and lower RPM stuff.

Lighter car, standard, tall gears, more advance earlier. Heavier car, auto, low gear ratios, the timing should come in later. So switch the springs (they sell kits with lighter and heavier springs to play with) around on the mechanical advance arms (or whatever they are called) and drive around for a week on each one, take it to the track, whatever. Find what works best. Don't forget you can mix the springs too, one extra light and one regular light since the arms move in sync for fine tuning.

Once the mechanical advance is what you want at full throttle the adjust the vacuum advance (which is all for part throttle street-ability, idle, since at WOT when you drop the hammer there is no vacuum it has no effect). Go up and down with whatever the car wants. That being said there is vacuum at idle and don't forget to unplug the vacuum advance when setting the base timing. If you have a dial back timing light I would only bother to set overall because that is the most accurate way. Base timing is something you just have to live with if you want to set the overall to max power.

I do think 38* is too high for your setup being that the better the head the more efficient it fills the chambers and burns. This in turn typically requires less timing. I am running Vortec Heads with 35* and I don't remember but I think your heads are way better than that no?

What it really comes down too is give it what the car wants, they are all different. If its not breaking up at the top give it to it. My friend has an old Skylark with a 455 and junk heads on it. He was running 42* of timing without breaking up, and put his best numbers on the dyno sheet. Right after that my other friend with a G8 was doing best with only 24* I believe, with real good heads on an LS3 I believe. Just give it what it wants and make sure its not poping or missing up top, you'll be fine.

 

I have Trickflow super 23's,. 195cc intake, 64cc chambers. Like I said, this is not dyno tuned yet, also I used a standard light with a timing tape and adjustable pointer, so I could actually be a couple degrees off of 38*. Engine seems to run strong with the timing "all in".

 

$10 says you'll love that 108 more. I've got a 106 stick in my motor.

 

I do love the 108. Gives me a nice idle and pulls hard through the mid rpms. I was going to go 106 but everyone said go with 110 or higher. Is yours carburated? Whats your idle set at? I'm at 750 right now. I'd like to go a little lower but dont want it stalling once its warmed up. Also what kind of timing are you running?

 

Mine is carbureted, yessir. That sounds about right. My timing isn't fair because I am not purely pump gas so it's a poor comparison. I would need to back my timing out some in order to run pump gas so I decided against it. I mix 50/50. Tighter LSA is the way to go in my opinion.